Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-02-02
apart, and she had not the strength to

apart, and she had not the strength to
draw herself up many. She got, per-
haps, half way up, and then fell on the
stairs, fell sitting on one step with her
bandaged head on another, and her
bleeding feet on a still lower step. Then
all her power left her. She tried to lift
herself to her feet, but could not. She
could not reach and grasp the rail; she
sank again.
AS her head rested ON the step, the
smell of the -four came into her nose,
from the white dust on it, and it brought
dim, faint sense of pleasure to her. She
had her face turned to the sky, and saw
the clouds drive by: now star appeared,
then went out, then sparkled again.
Even so her senses seemed to come and
go, her consciousness to drift away and
then become intensely clear. She could
not call, but she pulled her whistle from
her bosom, where it hung since on that
terrible night she suspended it there, and
put it to her lips, and tried to blow
summons on it. She had forgotten that
it was split and voiceless; she had the
end between her lips blowing, and the
string looped round her hand, and even
the effort to blow was too severe for her,
her remaining consciousness monentarily
away Only momentarily. In another
moment she was caught and lifted, and
held fast in strong arms, once again, as
long before after that flight on the mill
wings, and she heard n voice.
az knew it. knew it, She has come
to me- Oh, little Tu'penny Little
Tu'penny."
~, ,.atr1 t,a1 frNh nr of
long lapse into darkness, she was in
the millers cottage, in the arm chair by
the fire, without her cloak, in the bat
tered pink dress, that seemed fresh dyed
in the rosy glow of the hearthfre that
fell over it.
Mrs. Western was standing by her;
Joe was kneeling, raking the Goals to-
gether, and looking into her face.
She could not speak, but the widow
gave her warm cordials made from Joe's
honey, sweet with the fragrance of the
beans.
Joe knew even more than did Trip He
knew the real name OF the lelloW who
had come to stay about Ringwood. His
name was PAIGE, but he went by many
an alias-Jameson,' Davenant, Spencer,
Jeffries He was we'll known to the
unable to take him. Joe knew, also,
what Trip did not, that he was already
married. and had wife and children
living in Manchester Consequently,
the marriage in Ringwood church with
Trip was invalid.
From the moment that the burglary
had been discovered Joe rushed to the
true conclusion.
"My mind all along mistrusted that
man. | knew Beaufort was swell mobs-
man sent down to learn the ways about
the house. Poor Trip! Trip will return"
Then every night he worked in the
mill, and had his light in the -four cham
Der.
Redfern was dismissed.
'She'U have no home to come to;
she'll return and find her house empty.
She'll come to the old mill, | know she
will, and III be ready to receive her."
He was right; she had come as final
refuge to the dear old windmill, and the
strong arms had caught her to hold her
fast, and not let her go again.
"Tripn' said Joe, I'm off now You
shall remain with mother. The man will
mind the mill. I'll follow that scoundrel
Beaufort, or PAIGE, or whatever he calls
himself, if it be round the world. He
shall not escape me-"
Then Trip put out her hand and
grasped Joes arm.
''Joe, dear friend" she said, and her
voice went straight to his heart, as did
the look out of her sunken eyes, "Joe,
leave him alone. He wronged me, not
you. forgive him for this that he has
brought me down out of my folly and
pride joel 1t was my own self which
was my worst enemy-not he; no. not he.
Ii had not been vain and giddy | should
never have-have cast away Jewel to get
sham" She suddenly dragged off the
diamond ring (value, according to Mr..
Beaufort, :el50) and threw it into the fire.
"I-I only am to blame"
Then Joe took the hand, and, holding
it in both of his, said, in earnest tones,
still kneeling on one knee, with the rosy
glow of the fire shining over him and her.
"Oh, little Tupenny-"
IA bad penny-an utterly bad penny
that has come back said she, sadly
''Not 500 he spoke with a shout, and
sprung to his feet "No, not sol A
battered Tu'pcnny, sore defaced, that has
come back to the proper mint to be
melted, and milled, and nodded again.
Come, throw away the old broken, split
whistle | always said would come to
you when you needed me without whist
ling, and now-now | will ever be beside
you, and you will never need to whistle
or call. Is it not sop
'Be more quiet, joe" said his mother
"She has tainted again with oyermuch
joy
"Mother'' he would not be quiet He
put his arms under Trip and lifted her
out of the chair, held her aloft, then close
to his heart. "Motherl The little
Tu'penny of brass is come back to be
minted in gold! l cannot help myself;
l must shout, and sing, and talk, and
laugh"
THE END.